A comparative methodological approach to studying the diet of a recovering marine predator, the grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus )
Anthropogenic influences caused depletion and subsequent recovery of marine predators, but ecological consequences of altered predator abundance are not well understood. Although many methods are used to study predator diets, methodological biases and logistical challenges preclude robust sampling s...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 2024-03-03T08:47:29+00:00 A comparative methodological approach to studying the diet of a recovering marine predator, the grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) McCosker, Christina M. Olson, Zachary H. Ono, Kathryn A. American Museum of Natural History University of New England 2024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 102, issue 2, page 182-194 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 2024 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 2024-02-07T10:53:44Z Anthropogenic influences caused depletion and subsequent recovery of marine predators, but ecological consequences of altered predator abundance are not well understood. Although many methods are used to study predator diets, methodological biases and logistical challenges preclude robust sampling schemes. We aimed to compare two non-invasive methods: metabarcoding scat-derived deoxyribonucleic acid and hard parts analysis of scat for the Northwest Atlantic grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius, 1791)), a species that rebounded after near extirpation. We hypothesized that metabarcoding would detect a greater diversity and frequency of prey, and that notable differences in diet will be detected since prior studies. Grey seal scat samples ( N = 247) were collected between 2018 and 2019 from Monomoy Island, Massachusetts, USA. Metabarcoding detected greater prey richness on average, with more frequent detections of clupeids (Clupeidae) and flatfish (Pleuronectiformes), whereas hard parts analysis more frequently detected phycid hakes ( Urophycis spp. Gill, 1863). Combining methods increased detections of 13 prey taxa, with 32 prey taxa identified overall. Skates (Rajidae), flatfish, clupeids, and sand lance ( Ammodytes spp. Linnaeus, 1758) were top-occurring prey. Our study highlights the importance of using multiple methods to characterize generalist predator diets using non-invasive techniques and suggests grey seal diet has changed since the early 2000s. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northwest Atlantic Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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Open Polar |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics McCosker, Christina M. Olson, Zachary H. Ono, Kathryn A. A comparative methodological approach to studying the diet of a recovering marine predator, the grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Anthropogenic influences caused depletion and subsequent recovery of marine predators, but ecological consequences of altered predator abundance are not well understood. Although many methods are used to study predator diets, methodological biases and logistical challenges preclude robust sampling schemes. We aimed to compare two non-invasive methods: metabarcoding scat-derived deoxyribonucleic acid and hard parts analysis of scat for the Northwest Atlantic grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius, 1791)), a species that rebounded after near extirpation. We hypothesized that metabarcoding would detect a greater diversity and frequency of prey, and that notable differences in diet will be detected since prior studies. Grey seal scat samples ( N = 247) were collected between 2018 and 2019 from Monomoy Island, Massachusetts, USA. Metabarcoding detected greater prey richness on average, with more frequent detections of clupeids (Clupeidae) and flatfish (Pleuronectiformes), whereas hard parts analysis more frequently detected phycid hakes ( Urophycis spp. Gill, 1863). Combining methods increased detections of 13 prey taxa, with 32 prey taxa identified overall. Skates (Rajidae), flatfish, clupeids, and sand lance ( Ammodytes spp. Linnaeus, 1758) were top-occurring prey. Our study highlights the importance of using multiple methods to characterize generalist predator diets using non-invasive techniques and suggests grey seal diet has changed since the early 2000s. |
author2 |
American Museum of Natural History University of New England |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
McCosker, Christina M. Olson, Zachary H. Ono, Kathryn A. |
author_facet |
McCosker, Christina M. Olson, Zachary H. Ono, Kathryn A. |
author_sort |
McCosker, Christina M. |
title |
A comparative methodological approach to studying the diet of a recovering marine predator, the grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) |
title_short |
A comparative methodological approach to studying the diet of a recovering marine predator, the grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) |
title_full |
A comparative methodological approach to studying the diet of a recovering marine predator, the grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) |
title_fullStr |
A comparative methodological approach to studying the diet of a recovering marine predator, the grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) |
title_full_unstemmed |
A comparative methodological approach to studying the diet of a recovering marine predator, the grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) |
title_sort |
comparative methodological approach to studying the diet of a recovering marine predator, the grey seal ( halichoerus grypus ) |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 |
genre |
Northwest Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Northwest Atlantic |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 102, issue 2, page 182-194 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2023-0104 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
_version_ |
1792503694617477120 |